Electrically-controlled valve mechanism for motors.



S. SCOGNAMILIO.

ELECTRICALLY CONTROLLED VALVE MECHANISM FOR MOTORS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-I7. I9I6.

LQQQI l I Patented Mar. 20, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I I- 3 S. SCOGNAMILLO.

ELECTRICALLY CONTROLLED VALVE MECHANISM FOR MOTORS.

' APPLICATION FILED AUG-1711916.

LZQQOL 1 Patented Mar. 20, 1917.

2 SHEETLSHEET 2.

SALVATORE SCOGNAMILLO, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ELECTRICALLY-CONTROLLED VALVE MECHANISM FOR MOTORS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 20, 1917.

Application filed August 17, 1916. Serial No. 115,489.

signed for use in motor boats, yachts and the like.

The primary object of the invention is to provide readily operable and positively controllable means in connection with a hydrocarbon or gas motor for quickly and reliably reversing the same and obtaining a hi h rate of s )eed durin reverse movement thereof and whereby a boat or yacht may be caused to expeditiously back out of a slip or berth, or ,from a confined space, or move with rapidity during a reverse actuation in open water. A further object of the invention is to provide comparatively simple electrically controlled valve mechanism forreversing a motor that may be readily applied to motors now; in use without in the 30 least modifying the usual cylinder and'piston and inlet and exhaust valve organizations.

The invention consists in the construction and arrangement of parts which will be as more fully hereinafter described and claimed.

In 'the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a four cylinder motor embodying the features of the invention in one form.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the motor partially broken away and in section, showing the improvements thereon.

Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view showing the cam means and circuit making and breaking brushes or contact arms cooperating therewith to efiect operation of the inlet and exhaust valves of the motor.

.- Fig. 4 is a detail cross section of the cam means showing the operating shaft and shiftable cam carrying sleeve thereon.

Fig. 5 is a detail side elevation of a starting means or motor. I

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view of the starting motor and electrical connections and illustrating how this motor may-be reversed and the cooperation of the shifting means with the electrical connections.

Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view showing a modification of the cam carrying means and circuit making and breaking brushes or contact arms for the circuits of the inlet and exhaust valves.

Fig. 8' is a detail cross-section taken in the plane of the line 88, Fig. 7.

The numeral 5 designates a hydrocarbon or gas motor embodying four cylinders 6, 7, 8 and 9 of usual construction and each having a piston 10 therein connected up to a crank shaft 11 by a piston rod 12. The cylinders 6, 7, 8 and. 9 are also provided with usual inlet and exhaust valves of similar structure, "one of the valves being shown as at 13, Fig. 2, and having a stem 14 with a seating spring 15. The cylinders are also provided as usual with sparking plugs 16 and with other accessories usually applied to motors of this class.

All of the inlet and exhaust valves are provided with a lever 17 fulcrume'd on the tops of the cylinders, as at 18, there being two of these levers 17 on each, cylinder. The levers 17 arev attached at one end of each to the upwardly projecting extremity of one of the valve. rods 14,- and the opposite end of each lever projects outwardly and is provided with an armature 19. Each cylinder also has a bracket shelf 20 on which are mounted two electromagnets 21 and 22 respectively coiiprating with the levers 17. which are connected to-theinlet and exhaust valves, the electromagnets 21 controlling the opening of the inletvalves and the electromagnets 22 operating to open the exhaust valves.

Secured to and extending along one side of the cylinders 6, 7, 8 and '9 is a support or bar 23, this bar being of suitable insulating material in the form of the'construction shown by Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4. Secured to and depending below the lower edge of the bars 23 is a plurality of yielding circuit making and breaking brushes or arms 24 and 25' which are arranged in pairs and have suitable binding posts 26 attheir upper ends, the pairs 2 1 of the groups of brushes or arms being electrically connected by a wire 27 to one terminal of the winding of the electromagnet 21 which operates the inlet valve of each cylinder, the opposite end of the terminal of the winding of this electromagnet being connected by a wire 28 to a wire 28 from one pole of a battery B. The connecting'wire 27 is branched, as at 29, to the- .brushes or arms 24, as clearly shown by Figs. 1 and 3, so that there are two brushes or arms 24 arranged to coiiperate with each inlet valve in a manner which will be presently explained. The brushes or arms 25 have a. wire 30 connecting the same to one terminal of the windings of the electroma'gnets 22, there being a pair of the brushes 25 in electrical connection with each magnet 22 and'the remaining terminal of the winding of each magnet 22 is connected by a wire 31 to the wire 28. The

wire 30 is branched, as at 32, similarly to the wire 29 and connected to the binding posts 26 of each pair 'ofbrushes 25, and as a consequence each exhaust valve will have two brushes or arms 25 in coiipera tion therewith.

' Below the insulating bar 23 and the brushes or arms 24 and 25 and mounted in suitable bearings on the same side of the motor is ashaft 34 having on one end a pinion .35 and driven-in proper timed relation 41 provided with a groove 42 engaged by a projection 43 extending inwardly from a shifting lever 44 fulcrumed on the casing below the shaft 34 and sleeve 40, as at 45, and provided with a suitable dog 46 to engage a notched segment 47 to maintain the shifting lever in its adjusted position. The

sleeve 40 is provided with pairs of cams or motor is operating in a normal or forwardly driving direction; The rernaining cams or cam projections of-the pairs 48 and 49 thereof are engaged by the remaining brushes or aflns of each pair of brushes or arms 24 and'25 when the motor or engine is operated for reverse movem'ent, the sleeve 40 being shifted 'to change the positionof the pairs of cams 48 and 49 relatively to the pairs of brushes or arms 24' and 25. The cams or cam projections of each pair thereof are longitudinally spaced such distance apart that when the sleeve 40 is shifted to the clearly shown by Figs. 7 and 8.

right or forwardly the cams 48 and 49 which have been engaging the first brushes or arms 24 and 25 to the left will be disengaged from said brushes or arms and the succeeding cams 48 and 49 of each pair of these cams will be brought into contact with the brushes 24 and 25 to the right or in advance of the previously engaged brushes or arms as considered from the position of the parts shown by Fig. 1; The sleeve 40 is slidably mounted in an intermediate supporting bearing 50 which may be of any' suitable form and operates to maintain the said sleeve and the shaft 34 in true condition or prevents the said parts from working away or warping relatively to the brushes or arms 24 and 25 and by this means the cams or cam projections 48 and 49 will always have a true operating position relatively to the said brushes or arms. The

sleeve 40 is connectedby a wire 33 with the remaining pole of the battery B and the brushes or arms 24 and 25 operate as automatic switches, the ends of said brushes or arms, as shown by Fig. 2, being out of contact at all times with relation to the surface of the body of the sleeve 40, but in such pom'tion as to be engaged and close the several circuits through the cams or cam projections 48 and 49 and whereby the electromagnets 21 and 22 may be energized at intervals and in alternation with respect to the pairsthereof for actuating the inlet and exhaust valves of each cylinder.

Instead of having theshaft 34 provided with a shifting sleeve 40 carrying the cams or cam projections 48 and 49, the brushes or arms 24 and25 may be mounted to shift and the shaft 34 may be directly provided with cams or cam projections 51 and 52, as In this modified structure the brushes or arms 24 and 25 are secured to clips 53, in turn held in fixed position on a slide bar 54 to which the shifting lever 44v is attached. Between the clips 53 of the slide bar 54 a suitable insulation 55 is introduced, as clearly shown by F ig; 8, this insulation surrounding the bar. and effectually insulating each clip 53 therefr0m.' The-"clips have upper binding posts .56 to which the wires' 29 and 27 and 32 and 30 -are attached,.t he shaft 34 in this instance having the wire 33 secured directly thereto and to the one pole of the battery B. Thev slide bar 54 is mounted to move in suitable guides 58 secured on the side of the casing above the shaft 34. It will be operated by the same gearing as that illustrated by Fig. 1', and in shifting the brushes or arms 24 and 25 so as to reverse the movement of the motor the brushes 24 and 25 will be moved instead of the cams as in the first described construction. It will also be understood that-the guides 58 will be suitunderstood that the said shaft 34 will be ably insulated from the casing by an interposed insulation, as at 59, as shown by Fig. 7. The brushes 24 and 25 in the modified structure shown by Figs. 7 and.8 are normally out of contact at their free ends with relation to the surface of the shaft 34 and are engaged at intervals by the cam projections 51 and 52 to close the circuit and energize the electromagnets 21 and 22 connected to the clips 53 in the same manner as the brushes 24 and 25 are directly connected to said magnets in the form of the device shown by Figs. 1 and 2. j

A starting motor or means 60 is used with the main motor and is illustrated by Figs. 5 and 6, this motor being omitted from Fig. 1 to avoid confusion in the illustration of the parts. This starting motor or means 60 is of the usual type. embodying a shiftable armature or solenoid connected to a shaft 61 engaged at one extremity by a spring 62 and having a pinion 63 on one end to mesh with agear 64 fixed to the front end of the crank shaft 11, as shown by Fig. 1. This starting motor or means 60 is connected up by wires 65 and 66 with a source of electrical generation which may be the battery B hereinbefore described, or any other electrical means adapted for energizing and actuating the said motor or starting'means. As above noted this motor or starting means 60 is of a well known structure,'but in the present instance it is provided with means for reversing the motion of the same, and as illustrated by Fig. 6 this motor is diagrammatically illustrated together with the electrical connections, 67 indicating the field, 68 and 69 the brushes, and 70 the commutator. To the brush 68 a wire 71 is secured and runs to a contact point 72 and thence by additional wire connection 7 3 to a contact point 74. The brush 69 is connected by a wire 75 to a contact point 76 disposed intermediately with relation to the contact points 72 and 74. A switch having two arms 77 and 78 is mounted to coeperate in conjunction with the contact points 72, 74 and 76 and the arms 77 and 78 of this switch have a connecting bar 79 to which a connecting rod 80 is secured and runs to the switch lever 44. The circuit is made and broken through the one connecting wire 65 by means of a switch lever 81 pivoted on the lever 44- and cotiperating with a contact point 82, the lever being connected by a wire 83 with one portion of the wire 65 and the contact point 82 connected by a wire 84 with the remaining part of the said wire 65, the circuit being shown open by Fig. 6, and when closing the same the switch lever 81 is thrown over intoengagement with the contact point 82, or said lever is thrown away from said contact point to break the circuit in the position shown. This circuit may be closed or broken just before the lever 44 is operated to shift the sleeve 40 or the slide bar 54, as the case maybe, and by this means the starting motor or means 60 may be arranged for actuation simultaneously with the change of positions of the brushes 24 and 25 relatively to the cams or cam projections 48 and 49 or 51 and 52. In the position of the switch embodying the arms 77 and 78 as shown by Fig. 6,the starting motor or means 60 is adj usted to operate ,the crank shaft 11 when the main motor 1s to drive forwardly, and it will be seen that the wires 65 and 66 connect with the switch arms 77 and 78 and the field 67 is also connected by wires 85 and 86 with the circuit wires 65 and 66. The circuits in accordance with the adjustment of the switch arms 77 and 78 may be readily traced, and when the switch lever 81 is closed to engage the contact 82 the circuit as shown will be by the wire 65, through the field 67, by wire 85, to the brush 68, bywire 71, through the commutator 70, to the brush 69, and then by wire 7 5 to contact 76 and through the switch arm 78 to the wire 66 and the wire 86, back to field. \Vhen the switch arms 77 and 78 are thrown over to reverse the main motor they engage the contacts 76 and 74 and the circuit will then be through the wire 65, by way of the contact 76, wire 75, brush 69,

through the commutator 70 to the brush 68,

and then back to the contact 74 by the wires 71 and 73, and through the brush 78 to the wires 66 and 86, the opposite terminal of the field through the wire 85 beingv then connected to the contact 76 through the switch arm 77.

From the foregoing the operation of the mechanism will no doubt be understood. WVhen the motor is driving forwardly the parts will be in the position for instance as shown by Figs. 1,2, 3 and 7, with the shifting lever 44 standing at an inclination toward the rear. 'A forward movement of the shifting lever 44 to reverse the direction of movement of the motor or change the direction of movement of the crank shaft 11 will cause the sleeve 40 in the first form of the device to be moved forwardly and disengage the sets of cams 48 and 49 from the plane of contact with relation to the brushes or arms 24 and 25 with which they have been in engagement, and the second members of each set of cams will be brought into planes of engagement with the succeeding brushes or arms 24 and 25 of each pair and at the same time the switch embodying the arms 77 and 78 will be thrown over so as to cause these switch arms to engage the contacts 76 and 74, and as the circuit will have first been closed by-moving the switch arm 81 into engagement with the contact 82 the starting motor or means 60 will operate in a reversing direction and at the same time the pinion 68 will be thrown into engagement with thereof and the piston rods 12 connected thereto in a reversing position. Under this adjustment the inlet and exhaust valves of the cylinders- 6, 7, 8 and 9 will regularly operate in proper timed relation and each of these valves will be opened when the 'electromagnet 21 or 22 cooperating with the corresponding lever 17 is energized and draws down-the armature 19 thereto, such downward movement of the armature effecting an elevation of the opposite extremity of the lever 17 and opening the valve through the medium of the valve stem or rod 14 connected to the lever. means a regular inlet of the hydrocarbon or gas and an exhaust of spent gases will be effected. Assoon as the main motor has started to properly reverse, the starting motor or means 60 is cut out'by opening the switch lever 81, and when 'it is desired to have the main motor as well as the starting motoror means 60 operate to effect a forward drive the switch lever 81 is closed and simultaneously the shifting lever 44 is drawn backwardly to the position shown by Figs. 1 and 6 when the parts will be restored to normal positiomas it were, and after the main motor or the crank shaft 11 has been actuated to rotate so as to give a forward driving action the starting motor or means 60 is again out out by opening the switch lever 81. It will be seen that the magnets 21 and 22 are energized through the brushes or arms 24 and 25 when contact is made with the cam projections 48 and 49 or 51 and 52 as the several circuits will then be closed and the energy of the battery 'B, brought into service.

What is claimed is:

1. In a valve controlling mechanism of the class specified, the combination with 1 cylinders and pistons and inlet and exhaust valves therefor, of electrically controlled means for o ening the valves at intervals, a plurality o circuit closing devices, cam carrying means in cooperative adjacency to said circuit closing devices, the circuit vclosin devices and the cam carrying means being relatively adjustable, and an electric circuit including the cam carrying means, the circuit closing devices and the valve opening means.

2. In a valve controlling mechanism of the class specified, the combination with a cylinder having a 'piston andinlet and exhaust valves, of electrically operated means for alternately opening the said valves at predetermined intervals comprising electrical circuits and relatively sh'iftable-circuit closing devices and rotatablemeans for closlng said circults and' for reversing the closure of the circuits.

By this 3. In a valve controlling mechanism of the class specified, the combination with a cylinder having a piston and inlet and exhaust valves, of springs cooperating with said valves to automatically close the same, and electrically controlled means cooperating with said valves for alternately opening circuits and reversing the closure of said circuits, and means for effecting a reverse operation of the crank shaft.

5. In a valve controlling mechanism of the class specified, the combination with a series of cylinders having pistons, inlet and exhaust valves and a crank shaft connected to said pistons, of electrically controlled means for opening said valves at intervals, said means, comprisin electrical circuits and circuit closing devices actuated by the crank shaft, said circuit closing devices being relativelyshiftable for reversing the closureof said circuits, and means for effecting a reverse operation of the crank shaft.

6. In a valve controlling mechanism of the class specified, the combination with a series of cylindershaving pistons, inlet and exhaust valves, and a crank shaft connected to'said pistons, of electrically controlled means comprising sequentially operated circuits and contact and rotary circuit closing means for opening the valves at intervals, a'reversing means for the crank shaft, and means for relativelyv shifting the contact and rotary circuit closing means vfor modifying the operation of the said valves in accordance with the reverse operation of the crank shaft.

7. In a valve controlling mechanism of the class specified, the combination with a series of "cylinders having pistons, inlet and exhaust valves, and a crank shaft, of electrically cont-rolled levers connected to the said valves and having cooperating magnets for opening the same at intervals, a starting motor connectible to the crank shaft and operable to'reverse the movement of the latter, a plurality of circuit making devices, a device carrying cams adjacent to the circuit making devices for engagement 'withthe latter, one of the said 1atter devices being adjustable with relation to the j other, and an electric circuit including the said magnets, circuit making and cam carrying devices. a

8. In a valve controlling mechanism of the class specified, the combination With cylinders having pistons, inlet and exhaust valves and a crank shaft, of electrically controlled levers connected to said valves and having cooperating magnets for opening the valves at intervals, means for automatically closing the said valves, the electrical circuit including said magnets and adjacent sets of circuit closing devices also included in said electrical circuit and in part electrically connected to the said magnets, a part of the said circuit closing devices be ing shiftable relatively to the remaining part of the same and the circuit closing devices being operable to reverse the closure of the circuits and the operation of the valves through the electromagnets and levers.

9. In a valve controlling mechanism of the class specified, the comblnation with cylinders having pistons, inlet and exhaust valves, and a crank shaft, of electrically controlled levers connected to said valves having cooperating magnets for opening the valves at intervals, means for automatically closing the said valves, an electric circuit including said magnets, adjacent sets of circuit closing devlces also included in the said electric circuit and in part'electrically connected to the said magnets, a' part of the said circuit closing devices being shiftable relatively to the remaining part of the same, and a starting motor connectible to the crank shaft and Operable to reverse the movement of the said shaft and operation of the magnets.

10. In a valve controlling mechanism of the class specified, the combination With a series of cylinders having pistons, inlet and exhaust valves, and a crank shaft connected to said pistons, a starting motor connectible to the crank shaft, electrically controlled means cooperating with said valves for alternately opening them at intervals and comprising electric circuits and relatively .shiftable means for alternatelyclosing said circuits in sequence and for reversing the closure of said circuits, and mechanical and electrical devices for reversing the movement of the starting motor and the crank shaft and for modifying the operation of the said valves through the electrically controlled means in accordance with the reverse operation of the crank shaft.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

SALVATORE SCOGNAMILLO.

Witnesses MAURO SAMPARELLY, FRANCIS SCOGNAMILLO. 

